India produced a professional display in Napier to crush New Zealand by eight wickets in the first One-day international of the five-match series.
Entering the series following their first-ever Test and ODI series triumphs in Australia, India signalled their intent with a clinical display, which saw them chase down a revised target of 156 by eight wickets in 34.5 overs.
The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method came into the picture for an interruption which was caused by bright sunlight. (Yes, that really happened.)
On a near-perfect day, the only thing that didn’t go Virat Kohli’s way was the toss. But India made light of that by bowling out the home team for a paltry 157 in 38 overs.
Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the most successful bowler, returning with figures of 4/39 in 10 overs, while seamer Mohammed Shami finished with an excellent 3/19 in six overs. There were also two wickets for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.
Captain Kane Williamson top-scored for the hosts with 64 off 81 balls. In response, Shikhar Dhawan began the innings with a flurry of boundaries, eventually finishing as the top-scorer with 75 off 103 balls. The left-handed opening batman, battling indifferent recent form, hit six boundaries.
Here are the statistical highlights of India’s win in the first match of the series:
- Shami became the fastest Indian bowler to register 100 ODI wickets, going past Irfan Pathan’s record.
Fewest matches for 100 ODI wickets
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 23, 2019
44 - Rashid Khan
52 - Mitchell Starc
53 - Saqlain Mushtaq
54 - Shane Bond
55 - Brett Lee
56 - Trent Boult/MOHD SHAMI (quickest by an Indian. Previous: 59 by Irfan Pathan)#NZvInd
Mohammed Shami had 87 wkts from 47 ODIs at the end March 2015.
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 23, 2019
It took him nearly 46 months to get the next 13 wkts. #NZvIND
- Kuldeep Yadav registered the third best ODI bowling figures by an Indian in New Zealand after Anil Kumble (5/33) and J Srinath (4/23).
Most wkts after 36 ODIs:
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 23, 2019
83 Rashid Khan
73 KULDEEP YADAV
71 A Mendis/ M Starc/ Hasan Ali
70 Waqar Younis
69 Denis Lillee#NZvIND
Best ODI bowling by a left-arm wrist spinner in New Zealand
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 23, 2019
4/37 - Michael Rippon for Neth v Can (Mt Maunganui) Jan 2014
4/39 - Kuldeep Yadav at Napier today #NZvInd
- Reunited after a break, Yadav and Chahal once again showed they are a potent force when they operate together. This was the seventh time either of them had taken a four-wicket-haul in an ODI outside Asia.
4-wicket hauls by Indian spinners outside Asia in ODIs:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) January 23, 2019
2004-2017 - Seven (3 by Mishra, 3 by Jadeja, 1 by Ashwin)
Since 2018 - Seven (4 by Kuldeep, 3 by Chahal)#NZvIND
Today Kuldeep and Chahal took 6 for 82 from their 20 combined overs - a further reminder (that shouldn't be needed) that despite Jadeja still battling for a spot in the team the two wrist spinners are comfortably India's premier ODI spin bowlers. #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/fUhieXgLOg
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) January 23, 2019
One for the record: 7 wickets by the Indian spinners combined (Kuldeep Yadav 4, Yuzvendra Chahal 2, Kedar Jadhav 1) is the most taken by spinners in an ODI innings at the McLean Park in Napier. #NZvIND
— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) January 23, 2019
- Dhawan became the second fastest Indian batsman (in terms of innings played) to score 5,000 ODI runs. No prizes for guessing who the quickest is.
Fewest innings to 5000 ODI runs:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 23, 2019
101 - Hashim Amla
114 - Viv Richards/ Virat Kohli
118 - Brian Lara/ Shikhar Dhawan*
119 - Kane Williamson
121 - Gordon Greenidge#NZvIND